In a landmark move, The Sports Office is to supply the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) with an online performance management system (PMS), to support the Jockey Coaching Programme for the Apprentice and Conditional Jockey Coaching Programme, managed by the British Racing School and Northern Racing College.

The programme provides technical skills training and strength and conditioning training as well as career development, diet and nutrition advice and mentoring, for both flat and national hunt jockeys. This Sports Office system – dubbed The Jockey Coach – has been created with bespoke functionality for the racing industry and will enhance all aspects of programme delivery.

This includes skill development sessions and racecourse walks, as well as the real-time sharing of performance reports and feedback between jockeys and their coaches. The Jockey Coach system will also allow performances in races to be assessed, with feedback forming part of regular reviews undertaken by apprentice and conditional riders.

“The agreement to supply the BHA with The Jockey Coach performance management system is an exciting new development for The Sports Office. Working with a client in equine sport is a first for our business and we look forward to supporting the coaches and riders involved in the Jockey Coaching Programme“, commented The Sports Office Managing Director, Phil Clarke.

“We are delighted to support the BHA’s work to enhance the quality of their training and we believe they should be recognised for their progressive approach to improving the effectiveness of their work.”

Gill Greeves, BHA Vocational Training Manager, said “This initiative is a great move forward in our provision of training and development for jockeys who are Racing’s elite athletes. BHA is grateful for the guidance and support offered by The Sports Office in developing this unique system and to the BRS team and Gemma Waterhouse who have managed the project”.

The Sports Office is supplying the British Horseracing Authority with an online performance management system, to support the Jockey Coaching Programme for the Apprentice and Conditional Jockeys.

The powerful functionality for sharing coaching videos, common to all performance management systems provided by The Sports Office, is another aspect of the The Jockey Coach that will benefit BHA programmes. The training is organised in clusters and coaches work with a group of around 10 apprentice jockeys in different regions of the UK. Real-time communication, administration activity and information sharing between these will also be enhanced by the PMS. The Jockey Coach will also receive various API feeds to drive a live dashboard, tracking rider appearances, wins and positions within flat and jumps championship tables.

Some of racing’s biggest names are coaches within the BHA programme. These include Peter Scudamore, Mick Fitzgerald, Carl Llewellyn, Kevin Darley, John Reid, Steve Smith-Eccles, Mark Bradburne, Michael Hills and Warren Marston. Many other highly experienced and respected riders are also involved.

The Sports Office supplies online performance management systems to many elite sporting organisations including football clubs, competing in the world’s most high-profile competitions.

Manchester City and Chelsea FC are just two of these, in the Barclay’s Premier League. The Scottish FA have also chosen to use The Sports Office’s software throughout their structures, including for all their national teams and at all seven of their Performance Schools.

Other clients from elite sport include the RFU, Aviva Premiership clubs, clubs in Rugby League’s Super League, elite tennis and professional cycling teams.